The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-06-10

landed him in his cart AS for Brandy anu
and Whiskey, the two wretched old mules, II
the lash gave them time for thought between
Mulligan's and the mill, they must have felt
that wildcat was on their backs.
ut was the ghost peepin' out av the hole"
will pass there tonight and git home
aloive?"
The miller was furious at having corn
brought at that hour to grind.
I've got through griudin', and old Bell
knowed II" he grumbled. "Its jest his drat-
ted meanness-hatin to send early-hes so
'fraid of iosin' minute in the twelve hours.
| amt a-goin' TO start my mill at this hour,
not for the President Of these United States.
There, Pat, dump that corn out, and take
this bag of meal. Ef he'll send Monday, he'll
git the rest. He's so plague-takcd mean! It'll
teach him lesson when he has to make two
trips to MILL"
Muldoon obeyed, but it seemed TO him an
age before he got the corn out and the meal
in. 1t was nearly twilight now, and would
be almost dark before he reached the Multi
gan farm.
"Ef Bell don't drive the beateucst old crit
ters," the miller said, examining the mules.
They're plumb broke down, jest comm four
mile. Look here, Mudoon, eff the ghost
Collins says as how it follered him two mile,
and it wos the tearinest race he ever tuck, and
he wos on Grey Eagle, too"
"And then how may the ghost look, Mis-
ther Lyle ?" asked poor Muldoon, his teeth
beginning to chatter.
"Oh, amt never seed il; but heaps of folks
says as how it changes, sometimes white and
sometimes blackl'
"And, Misther Lytle Pm terrible scared"
Muldoon said. 81 see somethin' dreadful by
the chimney,-like ghosts eyes, all n fire.
Please, sur, let one av the b'ys come home
wild me
There Amt one on the place" the miller
said. "It's Saturday, and they all went visit
in So you seed somethn' did you Well,
Pat, jest whip up them critters, and efthey're
spry you'll git past Mulligan's fore dark.
Theirs q moon, too"
The miller was as firm believer in the
ghost as poor Muldoon himself, and he felt
for the lad as he saw him trying to push
Brandy and Whskey into unusual speed.
But in spite of Muldoon's efforts, it was nearly
dark before the haunted house was reached
The stars shone, however, aud the young
crescent moon threw its feeble beams on the
dark pines, but there were weird shadows
quivering over the road.
81 wish was back in old Oirlaud', Null
doom muttered as he neared the dreaded spot
THE Banshees are dacent sperits, and jest
cry out They don't thry ter choke the loife
outer poor innocent lad, as they say the
ghosts do in Ameriky. Howly Moses what
is that ?"
He was opposite the house. There was q
loud rustic and something heavy seemed to
strike the ground, and then to his panic
stricken ears came sound of heavy breath
ing. He glanced back, ana saw a long, dark
figure bounding across the door-yard from
the house.
"The ghost, the ghost" he yelled and
what with blows rained upon them, and the
boys terrific yells, the astounded Brandy and
Whiskey, for once in their lives, ran away;
but, looking back, Muldoon could see dark
figure bounding after the cart. 1t leapcd up
behind, sprang upon him, and then the poor
lad lost consciousness.
~ heerd Brandy and WhIskey a-gallopin'
down the road as eff Ole Scratch wos AFTER
EN-" the farmer said the next day, land
when they como up thar was that young IDIOT
a-layin' in the bottom of the cart like dead
and ole Lion he wor sittin on top OF him.
you see, the dog broke his chain some.
how, and reckon he got tired when he run
on the porch and wait till Muldoon got back
He's got sense like a Christian, Lion has.
"Well, Muldoon he says as how he seed
fre-eyes in a hole in Mulligan's hearth and
he's sure it was the ghost. l amt scared of
ghosts, and reckon there's nest of wild
cats thar. I'm death on them varment, since
they killed my chickens, and I'm goin' this
very mornin' to rout 'em out"
Farmer Bell did not find the wildcats,
though 1t was evident some wild animal had
made its lair In the hole, but in searching un-
der the fallen bricks and earth, was found a
metal box. Forcing it open bank-notes 10 a
large amount were discovered, little injured
by the damp.
Farmer Bell gave Mnldoon part of the
sum, as he had drawn attention to the place
where the treasure was found.
'Ould Mulligans ghost, he give me two
STARTS" he said the other day. "One kilt me
entirely, and took my sinses away, but t'other
has give me start in good business. Eff I'm
ever a rich man it'll be thanks to Mulligan's
ghost"